iinltfft staffs patf nt



Oct. 7, 1941. w. R. EDMISTER 2,257,791

HINGE CONSTRUCTION FOR HATCHWAY COVERS Filed March 1, i959 awe/whoa,

Wzzzza Emiyier Patented Oct. 7, i941 HINGE .CONSTRUCTI ON FOR HATCHWAY VERS William R. Edmister, Columbus, Ohio, assignor of one-third to William K. Edmister and onethird to James O. Edmisten both of Columbus,

Ohio

Application March 1, 1939,'SerialNo. 2519,191

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to an improved hinge construction for'the covers of hatchways or similar structures. I-latchways are commonly provided in building roofs and are ordinarily equipped with separate covers which are apt to be left loose or blown off by the wind. Such covers are also objectionable by reason of the fact that they are inconvenient to remove and replace when it is desired to pass through the hatchway.

The primary object of the invention resides in providing a hatchway having a framework to which a cover is pivoted or hinged for swinging movement about a horizontal axis to positions of hatchway opening and closure.

It is alsoan object of the invention to provide the cover with a depending flange which will seal the joint between the hatchway frame and the cover when the latter is closed. An improved hinge mechanism is provided which will permit the flange of the cover to move freely away from the frame during movement of the cover to an open position, thus eliminating all tendency on the part of the cover to bind.

A still further object is the employment of spring means to counterbalance the weight of the cover in order that it may be moved from one position to another with a minimum of effort on the part of the operator.

The free edge of the cover is to be provided with a gravity operated latch to secure the cover in a closed position, thus preventing the opening of the cover during strong wind storms.

It is also desired to form a complete hatchway having a simplified hinge mechanism which is inexpensive to manufacture and will render satisfactory service over long periods of time without requiring an unusual amount of attention.

Other objects will be apparent from the followin description and the accompanying drawing in which the invention has been shown in its preferred form. In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a hatchway formed in accordance with the present invention with the cover in an open position;

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical sectional view taken through the hatchway frame and the cover and showing the hinge mechanism for pivotally securing the cover to the frame;

Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the cover in a closed position;

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line IVIV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on the planeindicated by the line V-V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view-taken through the free edge of the cover when in a closed position.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, and to Fig. 1 especially, it will be seen that the hatchway generally comprises a frame i having an opening through which a body may pass. Secured to the frame is a cover 2 adapted to be moved to open or closed positions. The frame I is rectangular inshape and is provided with. a vertical wall 3 to the sides of which is secured a flashing 4 which extends over the joint .pro-

duced between the wall 3 and a roof or other horizontal wall in which the hatchway may be positioned. The upper edge of the wall 3 is formed with a horizontal flange 5 which terminates at its outer edge in a downwardly di- 1 rected extension .6. The flange 5 forms a relatively wide band around the rectangular opening in the frame and serves to protect the user of the hatchway against sharp edgesat the upper end of the wall 3.

One of the sides of the frame is provided with hinge boxes 1 which the hinge mechanism em ployed in pivotally securing the cover to the frame'is received. This hinge mechanism includes a plate 8 welded or otherwise secured to the body of the hinge box and having a hinge pin 3 projecting outwardly therefrom in a horizontal plane. Pivotally supported by the hinge pin is a hinge bar It which is bent at its intermediate portion and is secured at its outer end as at H to the cover. The latter is provided with bracing rods I2 to which the hinge bar is directly connected. The intermediate portion of the hinge bar is bent to permit the cover to move to an open position and still have the hinge bar make no engagement with the flange on the hatchway frame.

The perforated end of the hinge bar is positioned within the periphery of the cover and is spaced from the under side thereof. From the point wherethe hinge bar is perforated, it extends away from the under side of the cover to the bent portion at which place it returns to the under side of the cover.

By this construction, the cover, when swung upon the hinge pins, will move away from the flange on the body and bepermitted to freely move to its open position. To counterbalance the Weight of the cover, the hinge mechanism is provided with a coil spring I3 which surrounds a pair of telescoping guide members I 4 and I5. The outer member I4 is pivotally connected at one end to a pin it projecting from the hinge bar at a point where it is farthest from the under side of the cover. The member I4 is hollow for the reception of the free end of the guide section 15, the opposite end of the latter member being pivotally supported by a pin I1 projecting from the plate 8 below the hinge pin 9. The ends of the spring 13 engage sleeves forming a part ofthe anchored ends of the sectional guide members and tend to force these members away from one another. When the cover is moved downward to a closing position, the pin l6 moves on an arc, the center of which is the hinge pin 9. By reason of the shape of the hinge bar, the pin 16 is moved: in a direction toward the pin I! and the coil spring I3 is thereby compressed. At the time the cover is completely closed, a latch mechanism 18 carried by the cover engages stationary keepers l9 on the frame to hold the cover in a closed position in opposition to the force exerted by the springs l3. As illustrated in Fig, 1, the cover section is secured to the frame section by a pair of hinge mechanisms, one of which has been described.

The latch mechanism l8 includes a rod 20 pivotally supported in connection with the cover by a pair of perforated lugs 2| which are secured to the reenforcing bars 12. The ends of the bar 20 are provided with hook-shaped latches 22 for engagement with the keepers. To move the latches 22 into engagement with the keepers, the bar 20 has a rod 23 projecting'therefrom at the center portion. When the cover is in a horizontal position, the weight of the bar 23 tends to rotate the bar 20 and move the latch members outward where they will engage the keepers at the time the cover reaches a closed position.

A guide plate 23a having a slot through which the bar 23 projects is secured to the under side of the cover. This member serves to limit the pivotal movement of the bar 20 to prevent excessive movement of the latches and to secure their registration with the keepers at all times. A lock brace 24 extends between the cover and the frame to hold the cover in an open position. While this bar is not absolutely essential, it is provided to prevent the undesired closing of the cover due to forces exerted by Winds when the cover is in an open position. A pair of handles 25 are secured to the under side of the cover to facilitate the operation thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hatchway of the type having a frame pivot projecting laterally from said bar at said bent portion, a second pivot carried by said base plate in spaced relation from said hinge pin, the axes of said pivots being parallel, sleeve means rotatably positioned on said pivots, telescopically connected guide means secured at its ends to said sleeve means, and a compression type spring surrounding said guide means and engaging said sleeves, the force of said spring tending to increase the spacing between said pivots.

2. In a hatchway of the type having a frame formed with an opening and a cover therefor, hinge means for securing said cover to said frame comprising a base plate formed for attachment to said frame, a one-piece hinge bar secured at one end to said cover, a hinge pin pivotally securing the opposite end of said bar to said base plate, said pivoted end being spaced below said cover, a spring anchor pin projecting laterally from the intermediate portion of said bar, said pin being spaced a greater distance from said cover than said hinge pin, a second spring anchor pin projecting from said base plate, said second pin being spaced equidistantly from said cover when the same is in a closed position as said first anchor pin, and compression spring means disposed between said anchor pins and normally tending to increase the distance therebetween, said spring being substantially fully compressed when said cover is closed and having the longitudinal axis thereof substantially parallel with the under surface of said cover.

' WILLIAM R. EDMISTER. 

